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CEYLON BRANCH 



prietors hire for each set of beds from two or three labourers 

 called wahracouddies, whose duty it is to form and level the 

 pans, supply them with water, collect and heap the salt, and 

 lastly, to carry it to the Kottoos ; in return for this service 

 they receive one-half of the salt; but as the proprietor usually 

 makes advances to them during the course of the season, a 

 very small portion of this is really handed over to them. From 

 the moment that the Kottoos are opened, all expenses are 

 borne by Government, who buys the salt at the fixed rate of 

 two pence and one-eighth per bushel. From the stores the 

 country in general is supplied ; the various purchasers being 

 furnished by the Government Agent with orders for the quan- 

 tity they require ; prepayment at the rate of two shillings and 

 eight pence per bushel being in every case requisite. In those 

 districts where salt is manufactured, no one is allowed to 

 trade in it except certain retailers licensed by Government, 

 who receive it at the above rate, and sell it at the same, being 

 allowed a commission of two per cent, on the amount of their 

 transactions; eighty lbs. being in every case considered as the 

 weight of one bushel. 



So soon however as salt has been removed beyond the 

 limits of the district, no further restrictions on its sale or price 

 are enforced. 



On a review of the system above described, it is quite 

 evident, that it is in many respects capable of much improve- 

 ment ; and a few of the existing defects may be briefly pointed 

 out. 



In the first place, it is apparent that a much larger quan- 

 tity of salt could be procured if the natives could be induced 

 to lay aside some portion of their characteristic apathy and 

 commence operations at a much earlier period : at present 

 nothing whatever is done until several weeks of dry weather 



